Buoyant exercising device or toy



Sept. 3, 1963 F. F. WILLIAMS 3,102,280

BUOYANT EXERCISING DEVICE OR 'roy Filed Oct. 10, 1961 30. a; /8 as /4 I [P9 [e0 FREDERICK E WILLIAMS 23 INVENTOR HUEBNER & WORREL ,4 77'ORNEVS permanent or stationary installation.

i ing thecenter of gravity of the user.

BUOYANT EXERCISING'DEVIQE 0R TOY Frederick F. Williams, 4271 N. Archie, Fresno, Calif.

' Filed Oct. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 144,216

3 Claims. (Cl. 9-348) The present invention relates to a buoyant exercising tates 'Paten device adaptedto support a user upon a body of water in ,an upright, seated position. The device. is rockable by shifting the weight of a user thereon with such exercising manipulation effective to propel the device along the .surface of the supporting body of water.

Conventional exercising devicesof the type employed in gymnasiums andin the home are only intended for,

Repeated use of such devices soonbecomesl tedious work with the user losing interest in the prescribed exercise schedule. These devices also provide no challenge to the individual in that "they have no secondary entertainment value,.which might serveas an incentive for continued use". Furthermore,

the prior devices arenot easily manipulated by inexperienced users and frequently inadvertently impart undue. strain to other portions of the body remotefrom the portionvfor which the exercising device is primarily intended. -Also, the prior devices are not readily adapted to be used ":bychildrenas well as adults withoutextensive modification and adjustment of the mechanism.

q Swimming pools,lakes, rivers and the like provide excellent opportunities for obtaining the desired exercise.

However, for some people having physical defects orf-the like, swimming might be too strenuous. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a .devicefor usein swimming pools 3,102,280 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 FIG. 3 is an isometric View of the device of FIGS. 1

and 2 shown in a non-operating position removed from the water. i

FIG. 4 isa top plan view of the exercising device also shown in a non-operating position removed from the water.

FIG. 5 is a transverse substantially vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1. i a

' other suitable thermoplastic material of closed cell construction. I Thebody support'member 11 provides a continuous upper surface 12 having a back portion 14, a

seat portionlS, an angulated leg portion 16 and a return arcuately curved foot portion18v The support member 11 also provides a lower surface 20 which is spaced in substantiailycontour flowing relation to theupper sur- ,face 12. The lower surface provides a generally convex rocking portionll opposite to the back and seat portions of the upper surface. The lower surface is continuously ex-tended from the rocking portion to define a propelling portion 22 oppositely disposed from theangulated leg portion of the upper surface. The propelling portion is longitudinally extended from the rocking portion in aand thelike on which a user may obtain sufiicient exercise torna intain good health and improve muscle tone. Also wwith the increased number of private backyard swimming pools there has beenarisein the attendantnumber and variety of buoyant pool accessories. However, these accessories have heretofore been intended for use as static devices or as sporting equipment. With the formeri'the user is confined to a sedentary attitude resulting in no u exercise, and in the latter, exercise is restricted to only [specific portions of the body necessary to manipulate the 'device in the easiest, least physically exerting manner.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to Another object is to provide, such an exercising. device which may bejemployed in sporting competition concurrent with its exercising benefits. I 7

Another object is to provide a buoyant exercising device which isvery unstable in certain tipped positions and can by shiftdirection generally tangential to the surface of the rocking portion; Aconvex, keel-like stabilizer portion 24 is' extended continuously from the propelling portion to follow the contour of the upper surface of thefoot portion 18. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stabilizer portion 24 provides a centrally disposed longitudinally extended arcuateridge member 26. As can be seen in the drawing, .the foot and seat portions of the member 11 have been proportioned to provide a center of buoyancy intermediate those portions but adjacent to the seat portion in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. l.

be returned to an upright positionof equilibrium only by v skill fulmanipulation by the user.

7 Another object is to provide a buoyant exercising device which is lightweight, portable, easily manipulated and may .be manufactured in varied sizes for use by children as well as adults.

fOther objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent in the following debody of water.

BIG. 2 is a somewhat reduced side. elevation of the v exercising device of FIG. 1 shown in an inverted position. v

A pair of opposite side flanges 28 having upper and lower portions 29 and 30 are outwardly extended from the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the body support member 11. These flanges are formed with their largest dimension adjacent to the back and rocking portions of the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, and

gradually diminished inheight and thickness toward the foot and stabilizing'portions. The primary function of the flanges is to provide lateral stability as well as providing. additional displacement volume for buoyancy purposes.

A person using the device is indicated at 32, and is shown in a pcsi-tionseated, upon the upper surface 12 of the body support member. The manner of manipulation will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, the

rocking portion 21 0f the lowersu-rface of the body sup- ;port memberis partially immersed in a body of water indicated at 35' having a surface 36, the degree of immersion being determined by the relationship of weight and buoyancy. As may be observed the stabilizer portion 24 has been raised out of the water, while the propelling portion 22 of the lower surface is partially submerged therein; Such position is attained by shifting the center of gravity rearwardly by appropriate body movement so that the center of buoyancy is located solely within the convex rocking .por-tiou ll. Since the center of gravity is located above the center of buoyancy a substantial dis tance when the device is in an upright position, slight body movements can readily shift the center of gravity so that the device will assume a new position of equilibrium determined by the new locations of the center of gravity and center of buoyancy.

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. With a person using the device seated upon the surface 12 of the body support member 11 in the position previously described the hands and arms of the user normally will be extended to the position shown in FIG. 1 to enable shifting the center of gravity and impart a rocking motion to the device. The hands may also be used to grip the :lower portions of the opposite side flanges 28 for greater leverage and to enhance the control of the device as indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 1. By forward and rearward shif ing of the users weight toward and away from the back portion 14, the body support member 11 is oscillated upon the rocking portion 21 while alternating between the extreme positions of oscillation shown in dashed lines in FIGURE 1, representing clockwise and counterclockwise rotation from the position shown in full lines. When rotated in a counterclockwise direction, it is to be noted that the entire weight of the user is supported by the rocking portion 21; this position is attained by the user shifting his weight to the left as viewed in H6. 1 so that the center of gravity is moved rearwardly causing counterclockwise rotation of the device until a new center of buoyancy is determined to maintain the device in a state of equilibrium. By subsequent shifting of his weight forwardly, as well as exerting a force on the foot portion 18, the device is rocked in a clockwise direction. During such clockwise movement, there is no appreciable imbalance between the longitudinal forces exerted by the surface of the rocking portion; however, upon the waterengaging surface of the propelling portion 22 contacting the water, the reaction force exerted against this surface effects a propelling motion to the left as viewed in FIG- URE 1. Further clock-wise rocking of the device causes the stabilizing portion 24 to enter the water and retard the propelling motion. Accordingly, a new state of equilibrium is attained determined by the new center of buoyancy in relation to the center of gravity, and any propelling motion is generally terminated. By regulating the degree and frequency of such rocking oscillations, the user can continuously propel himself through the water by alternately rocking the device between the position shown in full lines and only the counterclockwise position shown in dashed lines.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the user may develop a sufficient degree of skill to cause an amplitude of oscillation great enough to move the device to an inverted position. To facilitate continued movement of the device through the water, the stabilizing portion has been proportioned in relation to the rocking portion so that its relative buoyant effect will not prevent continued movement in a counterclockwise direction to right the device.

It should be noted that the configuration of the upper surface is such to permit a person to assume a normal upright seated position wherein the center of gravity of the person will be disposed in a predetermined area. The rocking portion is formed generally concentric with the anticipated center of gravity of an average person assuming a normal sitting position in the device. Accordingly, oscillatory movements imparted to the device by a shifting of the center of gravity will result in very little or no imbalance in a longitudinal direction by the reaction forces of the water supporting the device. Conversely, the propelling surf-ace is generally tangentially disposed in relation to the curved surface of the rocking portion, which results in motivation of the device as it is rocked in a clockwise direction to cause the propelling surface to contact the water.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the structure of the present invention is readily adapted for use in exercising in a convenient, safe, and relaxed manner. Also the device is of lightweight construction readily to be transported to and from bodies of water. It is also apparent that such device has utility as a competitive sporting device which is easily motivated by merely shifting the weight of the user thereon. In addition, the more active user desiring more strenuous exercises is accommodated by the instant device which may be rocked to extreme positions achievable only by skillful manipulation of the device.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A buoyant device formed of a foamed thermoplastic substance and comprising a longitudinally extended, undulated unitary support member having a forward portion providing a foot-rest surface and a rearward portion providing a seat, the forward and rearward portions being proportioned in volume to provide a center of buoyancy adjacent to the rearward portion intermediate said port-ions, the rearward portion having a lower, curved, water-engaging surface to permit rocking of the device in a fore and aft direction, the forward portion having a water-engaging surface to stabilize the device incident to partial submersion of the forward portion, and a propelling portion intermediate the water-engaging surfaces of the forward and rearward portions to propel the device incident to rocking thereof as the forward portion is moved to and from a posiiton of partial submersion and one raised from the water.

2. An exercise device comprising a body member of buoyant material and having a forward portion, a rearward portion, and an intermediate portion, said portions being provided with respective upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface providing back, seat, leg, and foot supporting portions so proportioned and formed to permit a person to be seated on said upper surface in a normal upright position and thereby dispose the center of gravity in a predetermined area, the lower surface adapted for water engagement and providing a forward stabilizing portion, a rearward rocking portion and an intermediate propelling portion, said rocking portion being formed concentric with said center of gravity and said propelling portion being extended from the rocking portion in a direction generally tangential thereto, the forward and rearward portions of said body member being relatively proportioned in volume to provide a center of buoyancy below said center of gravity and intermediate said forward and rearward portions when both said rocking and stabilizer portions are in engagement with the water.

3. A buoyant exercising toy for use in water comprising an elongated, undulated contoured body support member having opposite upper and lower surfaces, said upper surface providing continuous back, seat, foot and angulated leg portions, said lower surface being in spaced substantially contour following relation to said upper surface providing a longitudinally convex rocking portion opposite to said back and seat portions of the upper surface, a propelling portion disposed oppositely of said angulated leg portion of the upper surface and longitudinally extended in a direction tangential to said rocking portion, and a convex stabilizer portion opposite to said foot portion of the upper surface whereby, upon rocking movement of said support member, said stabilizer is raised and lowered relative to the water and said propelling portion is repeatedly caused to strike the water 2,858,790 Russell Nov. 4, 1958 6 Belin Feb. 28, 1961 Cathey Sept. 19, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS France Nov. 8, 1912 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics, page 129, June 1959. 

1. A BUOYANT DEVICE FORMED OF A FOAMED THERMOPLASTIC SUBSTANCE AND COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDED, UNDULATED UNITARY SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A FORWARD PORTION PROVIDING A FOOT-REST SURFACE AND A REARWARD PORTION PROVIDING A SEAT, THE FORWARD AND REARWARD PORTIONS BEING PROPORTIONED IN VOLUME TO PROVIDE A CENTER OF BUOYANCY ADJACENT TO THE REARWARD PORTION INTERMEDIATE SAID PORTIONS, THE REARWARD PORTION HAVING A LOWER, CURVED, WATER-ENGAGING SURFACE TO PERMIT ROCKING OF THE DEVICE IN A FORE AND AFT DIRECTION, THE FORWARD PORTION HAVING A WATER-ENGAGING SURFACE TO STABILIZE THE DEVICE INCIDENT TO PARTIAL SUBMERSION OF THE FORWARD PORTION, AND A PROPELLING PORTION INTERMEDIATE THE WATER-ENGAGING SURFACES OF THE FORWARD AND REARWARD PORTIONS TO PROPEL THE DEVICE INCIDENT TO ROCKING THEREOF AS THE FORWARD PORTION IS MOVED TO AND FROM A POSITION OF PARTIAL SUBMERSION AND ONE RAISED FROM THE WATER. 